The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus provided with paper cassettes housing plural papers one above the other in the lower portion of the apparatus main body.
Heretofore, a system in which vertically stacked cassettes which house plural papers in the lower portion of the apparatus main body are provided and papers are selectively fed from a prescribed paper cassette is known.
Aforesaid system will be explained referring to FIG. 6 showing the structural side view of a conventional image forming apparatus. In the image forming apparatus of FIG. 6, paper cassettes 101 and 102 are loaded on one end of apparatus main body 103. Papers fed from paper cassette 101 are supplied (fed) through paper feeding path 104. Papers fed from paper cassette 102 are supplied (fed) through paper feeding path 105. In both cases, papers are fed to transfer position 109, where toner images formed on photoreceptor drum 106 are transferred onto the papers by means of transfer device 107. After that, aforesaid paper passes along the arrowed route, and is subjected to toner image fixing by means of fixing device 108. Then, the paper is ejected, and the surface of photoreceptor drum 106 in which transfer is completed is electrically neutralized and cleaned.
The other prior art image forming apparatus has the following structure. Namely, on the lower portion of the apparatus main body of the image forming apparatus, paper cassettes housing plural papers are provided one above the other. When a paper sheet is fed from the lower paper cassette to the apparatus main body, the paper passes through a slit-shaped path inside the upper paper cassette, and is fed into the apparatus main body. The procedure after that is the same as the prior art as shown in FIG. 6. After the paper is subjected to toner image fixing, aforesaid paper is ejected (see Japanese Patent Registration No. 2534435 or 2576439).
However, the above-mentioned conventional systems have the following shortcomings. In the former image forming apparatus, plural paper cassettes are loaded on one end of the image forming apparatus. Therefore, these paper cassettes protrude from the apparatus main body, and considerable floor space is necessary. In addition, in the latter image forming apparatus, when a paper fed from the lower paper cassette is jammed in the slit-shaped path inside the upper paper cassette, there is a likelihood that the jammed paper may be torn if the upper or lower paper cassette is pulled out.